The invention relates to a key customizing method and a portable terminal device, and more particularly to a key customizing method and a portable terminal device wherein a liquid crystal display is provided in an input interface circuit and input can be performed by operating keys displayed on the liquid crystal display.
The array of keys in an input interface in conventional portable terminal (mobile terminal) devices, such as portable telephones (cellular phones) and PHSS (personal handyphone systems), is fixed to styles according to individual designs of manufactures, and thus has a construction such that, even when a user wishes to change the array of keys, the array of keys cannot be changed.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No 19228/1985 proposes a key array changing method wherein the array of keys is previously stored in an external storage medium, such as a card, and, in use, the card is connected to a public terminal such as a cash disperser.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 276116/1988 proposes a key array changing method wherein a liquid crystal key is adopted in each key of a keyboard, for example, in a personal computer and the array of keys is changed by changing the display contents of the liquid crystal keys.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59483/2000 proposes a method wherein a plurality of general purpose keys are provided, the display contents fur each function of a cordless telephone are set in the general-purpose keys, and a different display is arranged in LCD according to a depressed general-purpose key.
The conventional key customizing methods and portable terminal devices, however, have the following drawbacks.
In the method proposed in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 19228/1985, an external storage medium, such as a card, should be used us means for changing the key array of the terminal and, thus, this method is unsuitable for personal terminal applications such as portable telephones.
In the method proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 276116/1988, since a liquid crystal is provided on previously arranged keys, the arrangement can be changed only key by key, and, in addition, the size of the key cannot be changed.
In the method proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59483/2000, the arrangement of keys is unconditionally determined in the general-purpose key, and, thus, the key cannot be moved to a desired site. Further, the size of the display (key) cannot be changed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a key customizing method and a portable terminal device which permit the display array and display size of keys to be freely changed by users.
In order to attain the above object, according to the first feature of the invention, a key customizing method for customizing a plurality of input keys displayed on a liquid crystal display, comprises the steps of;
monitoring the turn-on of a key-customize key displayed on the liquid crystal display and, upon the turn-on of the key-customize key, monitoring the selection of at least one input key among the plurality of input keys;
when the at least one input key has been selected, displaying, on the liquid crystal display, a key customize pattern for displaying display sites and display sizes of the plurality of input keys; and
when a display site and a display size have been input based on the key customize pattern, displaying the at least one input key on the liquid crystal display based on the input display site and display size.
According to this method, as soon as two keys, i.e., the key-customize key and the key, of which the display site or the display size is to be changed, are successively selected, key customize processing is started and the screen on the liquid crystal display is changed from the display of key array to the display of a key customize pattern. Upon the selection of a display size corresponding to a new display site or a new display size of the key to be changed, a new key array is displayed on the screen of the liquid crystal display. Thus, the display array and display size of keys can be freely changed by users, and this contributes to improved convenience.
According to the second feature of the invention, a key customizing method for customizing a plurality of input keys displayed on a liquid crystal display, comprises the steps of:
monitoring the turn-on of a key -customize key displayed on the liquid crystal display and, upon the turn-on of the key-customize key, displaying, on the liquid crystal display, a key customize pattern for displaying display sizes and display sizes of the plurality of input keys;
when a display site and a display size have been input based on the key customize pattern, monitoring the selection of at least one input key among the plurality of input keys; and
when the at least one input key has been selected, displaying, on the liquid crystal display, the at least one input key based on the input display site and display size
According to this method, upon the depression of the key-customize key, key customize processing is started, and the screen on the liquid crystal display is changed from the display of key array to the display of a key customize pattern. Upon the input of a predetermined site on this display, the screen on the liquid crystal display is returned to the display of key array. Upon keying of a key of which the display site or the display size is to be changed, the screen is changed to the display of key array after movement of the key to a new site or the change of the key size to a new size. Thus, the display array and display size of keys can be freely changed by users, and this contributes to improved convenience.
According to the third feature of the invention, a portable terminal device having a plurality of customizable input keys displayed on a liquid crystal display, comprises:
an input interface circuit which displays a key-customize key in addition to the plurality of input keys on the liquid crystal display and generates a key signal of a turned-on key;
a memory storing a key display pattern, for displaying the plurality of input keys and the key-customize key, and a key customize pattern for customizing the display site and display size of the plurality of input keys; and
a control unit which reads the key display pattern from the memory and allows the liquid crystal display to display the plurality of input keys and the key-customize key, wherein
the control unit monitors the turn-on of the key-customize key based on the key signal sent from the input interface circuit; upon the turn-on of the key-customize key, monitors the selection of at least one input key among the plurality of input keys; when the at least one input key has been selected, reads from the memory the key customize pattern for displaying the display site and display size of the plurality of input keys and allows the liquid crystal display to display the key customize pattern; and when a display site and a display size have been input into the input interface circuit based on the key customize pattern, allows the liquid crystal display to display the at least one input key based on the key signal according to the input display site and display size.
According to this construction, a plurality of keys are displayed on the liquid crystal display provided in the input interface circuit. When the key-customize key out of the plurality of keys has been input followed by the input of another key, the control unit controls the liquid crystal control circuit so that the liquid crystal display displays the key customize pattern read from the memory. Upon the selection of at least one input key on the pattern display screen, the control unit performs control such that the liquid crystal display displays a key array screen after the movement of the desired key to a new size or the change of the size of the desired key to a new size. By virtue of this, the display array and display size of keys can be freely changed by users, and this contributes to improved convenience.